These days, it’s hard to imagine a world without high-speed internet access, Wi-Fi and gadgets such as smartphones and tablets. Inventions just keep on coming and when people are not browsing social media sites or downloading the latest applications they might be seen purchasing clothes or shoes online too.

E-commerce has literally exploded in recent years with consumers even investing in property on their lunch break, so let’s take a closer look at how technology has changed the way we buy and sell our homes.

Digital valuation software

If you’re looking for a quick sell, companies like We Buy Any Home will make you a rapid offer using the latest digital valuation software. This is linked to a database of current selling prices meaning they can analyse the value of your property without even paying a visit, helping to speed up the entire process. As this takes minimal effort, most property purchasing businesses will make you an offer for free leaving it totally up to you to accept or decline it.

Of course, while some people will love the fast-paced nature and efficiency of online valuations, others might feel a lot more confident meeting with someone face-to-face to discuss what they want the asking price to be – rather than dealing with important information online. There are pros and cons with both methods, but technology-based valuations are certainly becoming more popular.

Digital showrooms and 3D graphics

With 95 per cent of British people buying goods via internet retailers, it’s perhaps no surprise that more and more consumers are purchasing properties without viewing them first in real life – just like you might do with a bottle of perfume or a makeup set from Amazon. This is largely down to online sales sites which work the same as a developer’s showroom for a new construction – but instead of having to trudge through property plans and photos in the company of an estate agent, investors can simply click around via a digital showroom without any pressure to buy. As well as seeing what the building and unit will look like thanks to exquisite 3D graphics, they can also check out the local area, take a look at what services and amenities are nearby and read reviews from previous buyers.

Again, many would-be buyers love the idea of browsing properties in their own time without feeling any kind of sales pressure. In fact, internet property sales are really taking off in India with thousands of people spending millions of rupees on new homes – the pull being great discounts which are often only available online via developers looking to shift excess supply. On the other hand, many buyers would still prefer to meet with an estate agent and physically walk through properties instead of clicking from room-to-room online.

Property listings

Gone are the days where you had to flick through a newspaper to look for houses for sale. Now, you can simply log onto property buying/selling websites and find the home of your dreams by entering a few basic details such as whether you want to buy or rent, how much you’re willing to spend, how many bedrooms you prefer and where you want the property to be located. What’s more, house listings can be seen be many people making both selling and buying a much simpler process.

Technology has certainly changed the way we buy and sell our homes and while many people still prefer traditional methods, the trend of making big purchases via the internet seems to be increasing in popularity.